Holding Device

[BMcKearney]

I'm very new to wood carving but have been turning and doing general woodworking for many years. I started last year with the purchase of a few knives, but wasn't satisfied and finally decided that power carving was the way to go for me. I have a new Foredom 5400 on the way - should be delivered tomorrow. Thanks to many of the older threads on the topic of selection to helping me make the choice for the 5400.

I think that I'll need a way to hold the piece that I'm carving for convenience and safety, so I have been looking at all the options and threads. Finally decided that I'd make my own holding device and if I'm not satisfied, then perhaps Santa could bring a replacement.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the holding device that I made today - it was based on the Jerry Rig design. Made completely from wood that I had around the shop - started with a 3" diameter ball made from cherry with a dowel leading up to a 4" plywood faceplate. I attached a second faceplate to the first - my thought is that I can screw the workpiece to the top faceplate and then attach it to the faceplate attached to the ball. The ball gives quite a lot of flexibility with regard to positioning and can be rotated and then secured in place with a Rockler knob. Hope it works!

Brian

[Northwest29]

Brian, welcome to the forum Now that's are pretty ingenious device you have designed and made. I certainly can't see any reason that it would not work for you. Of course, like 'most' holding devices one needs to consider the size and weight of the object being held.

Now the question I have is, where did you get the 3 inch ball? Did you turn that yourself?

Ron
Eugene, OR

[Tom Ellis]

Nice job Brian. That looks like it should work just fine for Foredom work. The only problem I see is that your shop is way too clean.

Good one, Tom

[BMcKearney]

Ron, yes I did turn the 3" ball myself. I'm pretty comfortable with turning, but not so much with carving. Hoping to change that soon if I can find the time! It got a bit hairy turning the holes for the plywood pieces that contain the ball on the lathe as it was somewhat off-center. Works pretty smoothly though.

[FreeMan08]

Great job Brian, and welcome to the forum. There sure is a lot of satisfaction in making your own tools. You should get many years of use from your fixture. It's good when someone asks where did you get that fixture, and you can say " I made it".
regards
Ed

Nice table saw you have there Brian.

[Nomad]

Wow, what a nice project! Very well done! Thanks for posting pics. Let us know how you get on with it.

I made one of those budget holding devices from plumbing supplies but I have yet to use it.

[bill#1]

very nice holding device...great job...bill#1

[AlArchie]

That has to be as fine a holding device as I've seen anywhere! Very nice, and if you have mastered turning, you should be able to transition to carving......after all turning is simply power carving with the work turning instead of the cutter!

Al

[davidinsarasota]

Excellent design, beautiful workmanship. Intuitive ease of use is paramount for me; I like holders etc. that don't distract me from the carving process, and it looks like this unit fits the bill. I would probably use it 'knob forward' so you don't have to reach around the workpiece.

Thankfully, it is much less critical with power carving than gouge work or, god forbid, mallet work, but how grippy is it once it is torqued down? Also how much knob loosening rotation until it is repositionable?

[BMcKearney]

David, at the moment, it seems pretty grabby although I haven't actually used it yet so I'll have to see. Since its for power carving, I'm not expecting it to need to be unmoveable but if the need arises, then I could possibly insert a piece of rubber on the ball to help a bit.

Good point about putting the knob in front - I may switch it around after I use it for a bit. The knob turns pretty easily - when lose, you can spin it with a single finger and it only takes a turn our two to loosen to that point.